# Enhanced synthetic luciferin substrates for firefly luciferase

> **NIH NIH R01** · UNIV OF MASSACHUSETTS MED SCH WORCESTER · 2020 · $376,875

## Abstract

Bioluminescence assays and imaging methods have been widely adopted for
drug discovery because of their simplicity, robustness, and low-cost. The inherently low
background and lack of need for excitation light makes bioluminescence superior to
fluorescence methods for many applications. Nevertheless, bioluminescence has yet to
reach its full potential. We propose the following specific aims: 1) Expand the scope of
bioluminescence imaging with synthetic luciferins; 2) Develop bright and functionally
orthogonal luciferases suitable for in vivo imaging; and 3) Leverage “portable reporters”
for imaging in any animal. We will exploit the properties of synthetic luciferin analogs to
enhance the imaging of invasive brain tumors, viral infection of the CNS, and circadian
rhythms. We will develop fully orthogonal luciferin-luciferase pairs that can serve as
internal controls and enable multiplexed imaging. Finally, we will overcome the restricted
set of available luciferase-expressing animals by developing bioluminescent reporters
that can be introduced into any animal of interest.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 9980368
- **Project number:** 5R01EB013270-08
- **Recipient organization:** UNIV OF MASSACHUSETTS MED SCH WORCESTER
- **Principal Investigator:** STEPHEN C. MILLER
- **Activity code:** R01 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2020
- **Award amount:** $376,875
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 2011-09-30 → 2022-06-30

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/9980368

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 9980368, Enhanced synthetic luciferin substrates for firefly luciferase (5R01EB013270-08). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-23 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/9980368. Licensed CC0.

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